Mary Hansen
The State Journal-Register
***
The majority of the city’s 10 aldermen maintain an official page on the social networking site, sharing information on city services and sometimes seeking opinions on decisions before the Springfield City Council.
Some embrace social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and NextDoor, a private social networking site organized by neighborhood, as an essential way to communicate with constituents.
***
Exchange of ideas
Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin sees things differently. He has a website (www.joeforward7.com) he updates regularly, but does not use Facebook or Twitter in his work as an alderman. Maintaining a social media presence can distract from deeper research that many issues the city council deals with require, he said.
“As an alderman, you need time to study the issues and research the issues,” McMenamin said. “I think it’s important to put time into those areas.”
However, there could be value in using social media on the campaign trail when looking for help from supporters, McMenamin acknowledged.
***
Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 